The Twilight Twenty-Five: Round Eight
by Mikarin Aoi
Summary: Life as a human, life as a vampire. Family relationships and romantic love. Varying ratings, multiple but canon pairings. Twenty-five flash fictions written for Round 8 of The Twilight Twenty-Five Challenge.
1. Embrace: CarlisleEsme

The Twilight Twenty-Five: Round Eight, a challenge

By Mikarin Aoi

**Summary:** Life as a human, life as a vampire. Family relationships and romantic love. Twenty-five flash fictions written for Round 8 of The Twilight Twenty-Five Challenge.

**Warning:** Varying ratings for each piece **Genre:** Family/Romance **Pairing:** Multiple but Canon Pairings

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Twilight Saga or its characters.

**Author's Note:** So I was looking for Twilight writing contests that I could join. I then stumbled upon thetwilight25 dot com. I was a little hesitant to join since for this round, only 300-500 words are allowed, and I usually write way longer stuff than flash fictions. Well, I still went for it, wanting to try something I've never done before, especially telling a story in less than 500 words. I hope I did well with this challenge… Any thoughts or comments on any of the stories in the form of a review are more than welcome. And PM's are, as well.

By the way, if anyone knows of any ongoing Twilight contests that **do not** revolve around Edward and Bella, do PM me, please? I'd like to try joining one…

**~Aoi.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 01  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle/Esme  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 495

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Embrace**

_As silent as a drum, as deafening as a whisper, as quick as a snail, as slow as the speed of light, my husband's heartbeat followed an erratic pace as he took me in his embrace, the last lingering seconds of our high slowly escaping our exhausted bodies._

_His heavy breathing, the air he exhaled softly meeting the back of my neck, was a delightful sign that we were alive. We weren't vampires in this life._

_Turning my body to face his, his arm still draped across my waist, I lowered my head to his chest, pressing my ear close to his pounding life force. This was what his heart sounded like. The steady yet irregular thumping, the millisecond of a missing heartbeat, I could hear it all._

_Frozen in time, I stayed still, thinking to myself that I could stay like this forever, wrapped in his arms, safe in this love-filled haven, listening to his heart go on for miles._

_Reaching up to feel my own heartbeat, I felt ultimately blessed and grateful to find that his heartbeat was beating in time to mine. We were almost perfectly synced, like our hearts were one, separated by two bodies; only to feel complete, reunited, during these sweet moments of ecstasy._

"Love? There you are."

Pulling me out of my thoughts, my husband's voice slowly brought me back to our reality. Turning around to face him, I was greeted with a bouquet of red roses, surprising me, catching me off guard.

"Welcome home, Carlisle. What are the flowers for?"

"Can't I bring flowers for my wife despite there being no occasion?"

"Of course you can," I replied with a gentle smile, taking the bouquet in my hands, thoroughly pleased with his sensitive moments of romance.

Even after a hundred years, he could still surprise me. I was more than lucky to have someone like him. A husband who greatly cared to keep the romance alive even after all these years.

"What were you thinking of?" he asked, and then added, "You were staring out into the forest for quite a while."

Looking back out to the wilderness where my thoughts had suddenly wandered off, I admitted with a slight hint of longing in my voice, "What we would've been like if we were still humans."

"I don't think there would've been much of a difference, do you, my love?" he stated as he moved behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, his chin resting upon my shoulder as we both looked out beyond the doors to our balcony.

"No, I don't think so, either," I agreed.

For this same embrace resonated truth as it did in the sudden fantasy that came to life in my mind just seconds before. I still felt the same love, the same safety in his arms, even without feeling or hearing his heartbeat or mine.

_Yes, we weren't vampires in this life. We weren't vampires in this daydream of mine._


	2. Photographs: EsmeRosalie

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 02  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Esme/Rosalie  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 493

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Photographs**

As the matriarch of the family, I seemingly gained the privilege of holding family pictures. From the past, to the present, I held them all, keeping them safe in a wooden chest, because these, to me, were important treasures.

It's been a long time since I've opened it, and what led me to retrieve it from under the bed were the pictures Bella handed to me yesterday. Pictures of Renesmee all grown up. She was no longer the little girl seven years ago.

The pictures on top were of Renesmee when she was still growing, and before that, were the pictures of my son and my daughter-in-law's wedding. The images below those were of the graduation of my children and along with that were the photographs of Emmett and Rosalie's latest wedding.

Just as I lifted their wedding photo, _she_ came strolling in, bringing along the scent of a fresh rose in bloom in late April.

"Esme?"

"Yes? Do you need something, Rose?"

"Uh, Bella wanted me to hand you these, it seems Alice took more shots of Renesmee this morning," she explained, handing me a new stack of photos.

"You're going through all these?" she then asked, and I found her staring at the photo in my hand.

A smile came up to my lips, and I openly pointed out, "You make such a lovely bride, you know that, Rose?"

As she knelt down beside me, she gave me a smile filled with so much life and so much joy, and at the same time, an ounce of gratitude. Though she knew perfectly well about her beauty, she never seemed boastful to me.

Out of nowhere, my words flowed.

"Have I told you that I'm honored to be blessed with you as my daughter?"

It seemed to shock her as much as I was taken aback by it. There was silence in the air before she reached over with her hand, clasping mine that was against my knee.

"It's an honor to have been under your care, Esme. You've always been there for me, ever since my transformation. I've never really loved my parents; I merely loved them for the lavish gifts they bestowed upon me. With you, it's different. You made me feel the love I needed to feel from my own mother. Ever since that night you tended to me on what felt like my death bed, you've been my mother. And I can't you thank you enough, Esme."

"Rosalie…"

I was at a loss for words. And as my dear daughter embraced me, I felt the love and gratitude of a child who felt like my very own. My own baby girl that I nurtured into such an elegant young lady.

This was my Rosalie.

"I love you, Mom. You've taken such a huge space in my heart. You always and forever will be my true mother."

Her words were the most valuable gift to me as a mother.


	3. Highway Romance: JasperAlice

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 03  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Jasper/Alice  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 499

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Highway Romance**

Just as she finished watching "The Notebook," Alice came up with the idea of doing the same thing that was done in the movie: to lie down in the middle of the road, with no apparent care whatsoever for incoming cars. Of course, in Alice's case, there was no way she'd be run over since she'd receive a vision long before it would happen. And with her speed, she could get out of the way in a mere millisecond.

Merrily hopping off the couch then rushing out the main door, going off in a dash, vanishing into thin air, Alice left the rest of the Cullen family stunned and speechless in the living room at her hasty departure.

Finding the road where cars would have to pass by to get to the main highway leading out of Forks, Alice situated herself in the middle, plopping down to the ground, sitting right where the yellow line was drawn, separating the two opposite lanes. Without further ado, she laid down, her back meeting the hard concrete.

People rarely left Forks, so the number of cars passing through the road Alice now occupied was very minimal. Stretching out her arms to her sides, she then crossed her hands behind her head to give herself a pillow; she laid there, knees pointing towards the clear, blue sky, twilight settling upon her skin, making her glitter the last few minutes until dusk began to fall.

From afar, _he_ witnessed everything. His wife was quite impulsive when it came to things that she deemed fun. She'd jump up one day and announce a party or something that would plop in her mind and everyone would have to give in to her demands, for really, who could deny Alice anything?

Still deciding whether or not to approach her, he rushed to her side before she could see him coming.

"Too late, Jasper. You already made up your mind," she commented at the sudden appearance of her husband hovering above her, bathing her in his shadow.

"Nothing ever gets past you, does it?" her husband responded, laughing.

"Come, join me," Alice requested. "Though I know you already planned on doing so," she then added with a complacent grin on her face.

Only one word crossed Jasper's mind, and he didn't keep it to himself.

"Cheeky."

The soft giggle erupting from Alice's mouth was too much for Jasper to take. In one swift movement, his body was flush against hers, his lips grazing along hers. Freeing her arms from behind her head, Alice wrapped them around her husband's neck, pulling him in closer, deepening his kiss.

"I love you, Jasper," Alice whispered.

"And I love y–"

_Toot! Toot!_

The blaring sound of the car horn alerted Jasper, promptly standing and pulling his wife along, and with one quick swish, they were gone.

The driver coming out of the car stood dumbfounded, trying to find the two people he so clearly saw, who now were nowhere in sight.


	4. The Cullen Boys: CarlisleEsme

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 04  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle/Esme  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 403

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**The Cullen Boys**

Oh my goodness, everyone was going crazy! The boys came up with the idea of putting on a show for the whole town, and as we ladies stood in the midst of the crowd of screaming females, all we could do was laugh. Our men were getting so much fan girl squeals, and it was thoroughly amusing to us.

Alice was cheering her husband's name, screaming "woo," acting like she was just part of the roaring crowd. Jasper, who was playing the electric guitar, easily spotted his wife with her jumping about.

Rosalie, on the other hand, was just holding back a mischievous smile as she watched her husband Emmett play the drums so wild that I felt like the crowd would be losing their heads soon, what will all the head banging going on.

Bella's husband was, of course, manning the keyboard, and a lot of girls were actually screaming his name. Bella couldn't stop laughing the whole time.

My husband, my dear Carlisle, was playing the bass, and it was my first time to see him do so, and the sight was magnificent. I had to admit, he was really sexy up there, strumming that bass guitar, and as his solo part came up, a lot of the older women in the crowd screamed, almost matching the young girls' squeals of delight.

It almost felt embarrassing, but everyone was enjoying themselves, and so was I.

As the group ended with their fifth song for the night, a lot of girls were calling and shouting for more, but Emmett came up to the microphone and said with a suggestive wink of his eye, "You'll get more next time, ladies."

At that, everyone, and I mean, everyone, figuratively screamed their heads off. I bet by the time they'd arrive home, they'd have lost their voice.

"So, what did you think of our performance?" my husband asked me as we walked back home.

"My god. It was absolute insanity! The crowd was way too excited, Carlisle," I told him, still laughing at the memory.

"What did you think of me playing the bass?"

"It was… really, really… sexy."

"Really?"

He lifted his eyebrow in question, yet the suggestive look to that smile of his made me aware of his intentions for tonight.

"Carlisle!"

We both were laughing as he swept me up into his arms, and brought me to a place which wasn't home…


	5. Bonding with Grandpa: CarlisleRenesmee

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 05  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle/Renesmee  
Rating: K  
Word Count: 467

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Bonding with Grandpa**

"Let me down, grandpa! I'm not a kid anymore!"

Catching a glimpse of Carlisle lifting up our granddaughter with such ease then throwing the upper half of her body over his shoulder, I stopped in my tracks and continued to watch on as he started running around in circles.

"Grandpa! Stop!"

It still felt so foreign to me, hearing Renesmee calling my husband "grandpa" and I still felt a little awkward whenever she called me "grandma." It made me feel old, even if I didn't feel nor look old at all. But there was a sense of life in the title. No matter how small or insignificant, to me, it showed that we were no longer frozen or stuck in time. We were never expecting to be grandparents, but now that we were, it's like we were growing with time.

Renesmee really became a huge part of our lives, and by having her, it's like we were revived by her youthful vitality which she so generously shared with us all. She brought life back into our lives and into our usually quiet home.

My husband finally gave up and let our granddaughter down, and as he knelt down on one knee before her, he patted her head, ruffled her hair slightly at which she frowned and immediately reached up with her hands to fix it.

Chuckling at the sight of his granddaughter fussing about her hair, Carlisle then said, "You're growing up too fast, love. I wish you weren't in such a hurry to become an adult."

"I'm not in a hurry, grandpa, you know I can't control it," Renesmee countered.

"I know, love. I just wish we could stop time for a while so you would stay our little girl for a little while more."

Carlisle's head hung low as he gave out a sigh of defeat. We all wished Renesmee could somehow lengthen her development, for we all loved having a child in our midst. Alas, nothing could be done.

"I'll always be your little girl, grandpa," our granddaughter then said with a smile, patting my husband's head like he did to her.

Carlisle looked back up at his "little girl" and finding that same gracious smile her mother possessed, my husband smiled back.

"Now make me fly, grandpa!" she then commanded, and whatever our little girl wished for, she always got.

Throwing her again over his shoulders, this time, no protests came from our granddaughter's mouth. Renesmee held out her hands, imagining herself fly with her grandfather's invisible wings as he ran and spun around, living his life as a grandfather should.

The sight of it made me more grateful than anything, making me realize I had to thank Bella once again for this precious miracle she shared with the rest of our family.


	6. King and Queen: CarlisleEsme

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 06  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle/Esme  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 439

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**King and Queen**

Our children surprised us with tickets to Ireland for our hundredth wedding anniversary, and it was such a wonderful gift that Carlisle immediately took two weeks off from work, stating he had "personal matters" to attend to.

One of the things Alice included in our travel bags was a list of places we should see before coming back home. Number six's destination was an ancient castle, built in the early sixteenth century. And as my husband and I stepped into the fortress, it almost felt like we were intruding upon a king and queen's cherished silence.

Walking up stone steps, touching the cool temperature of the decrepit ruins, we made our way up from the ground floor, coming to meet the spectacular view from up above, the rest of the county spread wide, grass, nature and even the sea was in sight. The cool breeze of the refreshing air felt comforting against our cold skin. As I inhaled, it almost felt like I could feel the air take up space in my lungs, giving me the ability to breathe and feel alive again, even for just that single second.

What I could make out from the structure of the castle, where we were standing could have been a balcony, and as I turned around to find a large chamber, I voiced out my thoughts, "I think this would've been their bedchamber."

Going through the archway, my husband took my hand and led me into the empty compartment, our steps echoing off the demolished walls. Standing in the midst of the chamber, my husband placed his hands on my waist, and as I looked up at him, I found the smile which melted my long-dead heart every single time.

"So this is where the king and queen would spend their nights together," he uttered, his words resonating throughout the chamber, ringing fresh in my ears.

His lips lowered onto mine, and I welcomed them, readily parting my lips as his palm grazed my cheek until his fingers wound into my caramel locks. With careful precision, he gently eased me down onto the remaining rubbles, the exact same place where the king would've made love to his queen. Naked in the heart of the decimated castle, with our bodies entangled as one, we relived the life of a king and queen who ruled this place more than four hundred years ago.

Today, we ruled this castle, and my king ruled over me.

I sighed in contentment. What a perfect way to celebrate our hundredth wedding anniversary. We definitely needed to thank our kids one more time once we get back home.


	7. A Walk through the Fog: EmmettRosalie

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 07  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Emmett/Rosalie  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 492

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**A Walk through the Fog**

The mist was thick, blurring the sight before me. If it weren't for the fact that I was a vampire, I would've been stumbling upon roots of trees, walking straight into tree trunks, or even taking a tumble into the freezing river.

I needed to get out of the house. I loved walking through the woods, especially when it was foggy, for the venue it became captured my mood so perfectly.

Depressed, I just wanted to be alone, even for just a while.

Though I was more than delighted at the fact that Renesmee came into our lives, brightening our home and livening up our family, the harsh truth that I can never carry my own baby in my long-dead womb was still a reverberating memory that stayed stuck in my brain. It was a reality I could never escape from. Even though I can act as a mother to Nessie, I will never really be one.

I'll always be Auntie Rosalie.

Clutching onto my chest, remembering the pain of tears, I dropped to my knees and broke into unending sobs, my porcelain heart breaking and smashing into bits and pieces, leaving empty nothingness inside of me. I will never be complete without my dream of becoming a mother coming true.

And it was all because I was this creature of the night. I really did die the night I was turned. I could never create life.

A shrill cry coming from my lips, echoing in the woods, fluttering wings moving away from me.

I was all alone.

_Crackle! Snap!_

A few feet from where I knelt, crying, the sounds of twigs breaking caught my attention, my ears suddenly alert. But as soon as I noticed his scent, I exhaled in relief. I was not surprised by his presence.

He always found me. He always knew when something was wrong.

And as he took me in his arms, his lips descending onto mine, his palms touching me, praising me, carefully handling me, I knew I was still loved, despite the fact that I could never give him what Bella was able to give Edward before she became a vampire…

As he lowered me onto a boulder, his body hovering above mine, his whispers of love comforting me, his kisses showering me with understanding, I thanked Carlisle in my mind over and over again for turning me. For if he hadn't, I would've never found this man who was silently asking permission to take my pain away, our connection merely inches apart.

One word to agree, one cry of his name, one thrust to erase the pain. Arms enclosing his body, I held tight onto him, onto the reason this life was still worth living.

With him, I was complete. With him, I was alive.

Though he was just half of my happy ending, I was still blessed to have him. For he made this state of death all worth it.

My Emmett…


	8. Drinking with the Cullens: JacobNessie

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 08  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Jacob/Renesmee  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 494

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Drinking with the Cullens**

Renesmee was now all grown up, and she was thrilled to find that her parents finally allowed her to taste her first alcoholic beverage tonight. She immediately suggested that the whole Cullen clan go with her to the newly opened bar in town. She made everyone order a beverage that they would definitely drink were they still human, and she told them she'd drink it up for them, wanting to figure out how much tolerance she had for alcohol. Her boyfriend, Jacob, wasn't too keen on the idea, his overprotectiveness over his girlfriend quite taxing; always trying to rein her in from doing stuff she deemed fun.

"Ness, just because you're done growing, doesn't mean you can just drink yourself to your limit on the very first try!"

But the vampire-human hybrid wasn't going to let anyone spoil her fun. She was pretty confident she could handle alcohol even if it was her first time tonight. She relied on her unique, mixed blood pretty heavily.

"Oh, come on, Jake! It'll be fun! I challenge you to drink with me! Let's see who's more tolerant! Come on!"

Everyone was seated in their booth.

Esme's drink signified the very class of an elegant woman, a simple yet tasteful order of Chardonnay. Rosalie was a bit bolder with her choice of Tequila in front of her, a salt and a wedge of lemon on the side. Alice had a Margarita, while Bella had plain Gin and Tonic.

As for the men, mirroring the classy taste of his wife, Carlisle settled for the fine Italian wine, the Brunello di Montalcino, Emmett was badass as he called for a Kamikaze shot, Jasper had a sophisticated drink called Perfect Pour and Edward decided on a Vodka Martini with olives.

There were two of each drink; one would be for Renesmee while the other one would be for Jacob.

"Ready, Jake?" Renesmee asked her worried boyfriend, clapping her hands together, evidently excited.

The chardonnay and the red wine came first, both youngsters taking their time, savoring the rich taste. As soon as the Tequila and the Kamikaze shot settled in though, Jacob was feeling a little giddy, his girlfriend still perfectly sober. By the time Jacob downed the Perfect Pour that Jasper ordered, when he stood up to use the bathroom, he fell face flat against the floor.

There was laughter all around him, and he could only register Emmett's booming voice in his mind before he completely passed out.

"Dude! Your girlfriend has a much higher alcohol tolerance than you!"

The next morning, as he awoke at the Cullens' home, he barely remembered anything and could barely think; the throbbing and aching hangover in his head too painful to bear.

Renesmee, on the other hand, was cheering loud the next morning, proud of her accomplishment of adding Vodka Tonic and a slug of beer to everything she tasted last night.

All Jacob could do was groan at his girlfriend's self-satisfaction.


	9. Letting Go: Edward

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 09  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Edward  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 392

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Letting Go**

Following the trail of my daughter's fresh scent, I was almost convinced that she was back home. She should be back home. She was still grounded after all, after that episode of her being late out at two in the morning, making out with that wolf in the midst of the other members of the wolf pack who were all busy with their mates as well.

I wasn't entirely sure if Jacob was doing a good job in instilling a sense of chastity on my daughter or was simply downright a bad influence on her. Well, as my wife says, I might just be biased. I can't help it. I now am a father to a little girl who was growing way too quickly for my liking. Soon, she'd be experimenting with sex, and I wasn't going to allow that to happen, not before she was married to that stinking dog.

Sure enough, the trail ended in front of our home, where my little Renesmee, now all grown up, was seated beside her mate on the front porch swing.

As I watched them from afar, both of them asleep, their hands clasped together, fingers entwined, I knew, soon, I had to let her go.

I was a little disheartened by that fact. She really was no longer my little girl. At five-feet-seven, her healthy bronze ringlets falling down her back, her lashes long and curled, her full lips glistening with a shy hint of pink, her body in perfect shape and form, her figure that of a fully grown young lady–I sighed at the sight of it. She grew up way too fast.

As beautiful as her mother, she reminded me so much of Bella. Our Renesmee was the perfect mix of me and her mother. I saw both of us in her eyes, and deep in her soul. She had that same stubbornness of my wife, and the same overprotectiveness that I had for the people I loved.

Yes, soon, one day, I'd have to let her go. Give her away to the young man who was now her protector. It was no longer my job to protect her, it was _his_.

And though it was hard for me to let her go, I would do it, for I also knew that once I did, _he_ would never let go.


	10. Wishing Well: EmmettRosalie

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 10  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Emmett/Rosalie  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 383

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Wishing Well**

Having left Forks to get married yet again, Emmett and Rosalie were spending their nth honeymoon in a different state, and on this sunny Sunday morning, they were happily strolling down the park, hand-in-hand, until Rosalie spotted several people scattered around a well. Wondering what the commotion was all about, the newlywed couple made their way over.

"Is something going on here?" Rosalie asked a young woman who seemed eager to get closer to the well, a coin pursed tight in her hand.

"It is said that this well grants wishes," the young woman answered with a smile.

"Oh," was all Rosalie could respond with.

"Wanna make a wish, babe?" Emmett asked his wife.

"I don't believe in wells granting wishes," Rosalie countered with a huff of indifference.

Though her initial reaction to it was slightly on the negative side, later that evening, Rosalie told her husband she'd like to make a wish, after all. Going back to the site at midnight to avoid most of the people, they arrived at the well, with no other soul in sight. Taking a coin out from his pocket, Emmett handed it over to his wife who gently pressed her lips against the coin, held it close to her heart, closed her eyes and made her wish.

With one flick of the coin and a barely audible splash in the well water, Rosalie's wish was sent.

"What did you wish for, babe?" her husband asked her as they walked back to the hotel.

"I can't tell you that, Emmett. Wishes don't come true if you tell them to another person," Rosalie explained. "Besides, it will never come true, anyway," she added.

"How do you know that?"

"I already told you, I don't believe in wishing wells," his wife repeated her words of that morning.

"So how come you made a wish tonight?"

"I figured it wouldn't hurt to make one. All we lost is just a mere quarter, anyway."

It may not have hurt to make a wish, but to have your wish never coming true was what hurt Rosalie the most. But she already knew that. She went there to wish for the one thing she knew she could never have.

_"I wish to be able to conceive and give birth to a healthy baby."_


	11. Arizona's Heat: Renesmee

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 11  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Renesmee  
Rating: K  
Word Count: 499

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Arizona's Heat**

My parents finally granted me my wish of seeing my mom's old house back in Arizona. Today, they were taking me there. Daddy Edward was driving, while Mommy Bella was just in the passenger seat, reading.

As soon as we crossed the state border, I hurriedly opened the window and stuck my head out a bit, taking in the scent of Arizona. Just by inhaling a bit of what Arizona had to offer, and feeling the sweltering heat of the sun against my skin, I already knew I would come to love this place. It was a lot different from Forks, and I preferred the sun way more than the rain. Everyone in the family said I took after my mother on that attribute.

The car drove up into an empty garage, and the white house in sight must be the house my mother grew up in. The car doors unlocked, and I quickly jumped out, excited to go through the stuff Mommy Bella had when she was younger.

I waited for her at the front door, and as she opened it with her keys, I made my way inside, finding myself inside the living room. It had a simple layout. A couch in front of a TV set, a coffee table in front of the couch, tons of magazines splayed across it.

Moving away from the living room, I looked at the tons of pictures hanging on the wall of the hallway leading to the rooms. Grandma Renée's room and Mom's room were opposite each other, and there was a small bathroom at the end of the hall.

I entered my mom's room first. Though they were both living in different places now, they still kept this place as a home they could go to whenever they felt like it. I think it was a nice idea, since after all; this was their home before they found their own respective ones within each other's partners. I knew of Grandpa Phil. Mom told me about him too.

My mom's room was completely organized. Wanting to see for myself if my grandma was really a messy scatterbrain like my mom sometimes described her, I decided to take a peek into her room before rummaging through Mom's belongings.

Sure enough, as soon as I opened the door to her room, all I saw was a huge mess. She really did leave her mark all over the place. Bags and clothes were scattered all over the floor. But amidst everything, only one thing caught my eye. A photo album spread open lying on her bed.

The picture showing was of my mother, when she was eight, wearing a ballerina outfit. Next to her was my grandmother.

Reaching for the picture, I didn't realize that I was unconsciously reaching for _her_.

The door to the room parted a little more, and my mom came into view.

As tears formed in my eyes, all I could utter was, "Mom, when can I meet Grandma?"


	12. Crowded Steps: EdwardBella

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 12  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Edward/Bella  
Rating: M  
Word Count: 497

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Crowded Steps**

It was getting way too hot in here. I had to get out of this underground club. Trying to find the exit staircase, I pushed my way through tons of moving and dancing bodies, all hot and sweaty, moving in time to the thrumming beat of the music the DJ was blasting so loud into the air.

Struggling between two couples, I forced my way through but as soon as I stepped onto the landing of the stairs, my excruciating journey to the outside world was far from done. There was about a dozen couples making out on the stairwell, and how I would be able to find my way through was beyond me.

Still, I was determined to get out of here for the air inside the club was overwhelmingly suffocating. Why the Cullens hung out here, I had no idea. Edward just one day grabbed me from my house and I soon found myself in a packed club under a busy city. Everyone in the family was there, and what I actually saw was quite… disturbing. They were all, in some way… entangled and wrapped around their partners, which was… quite disconcerting…

Unable to take the heat of the passion going on in my boyfriend's family, or the sweltering rise in temperature as more bodies came to… entwine… I seriously had to get out of there.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry, woah, I didn't mean to step on you!"

It was a nightmare. I could see the dark night sky hovering above the top of the steps, and I was nearly there. Until suddenly, I felt his cold hand on mine. I turned my face to him.

"Why are you leaving?" he asked me.

"I just need to get some air," I countered, facing back front, about to take one step up, but the sudden push I felt, my body now trapped between the railing and his body, interrupted my almost successful journey to the world of air.

"Edward, what are you–"

I looked about, worried someone might've noticed the swiftness of his movements, but his lips were threateningly close to mine and his scent was choking me in delightful intoxication, that I could barely catch a glimpse of anyone. No one had made a fuss though.

"This is why my family loves visiting this club. No one notices anything going on. We can have as much fun as we want, and nobody will notice anything different about us," Edward explained and as his lips found the side of my neck, his tongue darting out to taste my flesh, I shuddered in pleasure.

As his fingers trailed along my blouse, unbuttoning it in the process then sliding it off my arms, I could barely breathe. And I could barely think as he lifted me up, the skirt Alice picked out for me pushed up to my thighs as my legs wrapped around his waist. Finally, as he entered me, I lost all air to breathe.


	13. The Deed: JacobRenesmee

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 13  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Jacob/Renesmee  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 413

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**The Deed**

Nervous. I was nervous. Seated on my bed, wearing nothing but his thick cotton sweater, I was anxiously awaiting his arrival, pathetically biting on my nails as thoughts went through my head.

_What if he'll hate it? What if I suck at it? Will he push me away? Will he be disgusted?_

"Ness?"

"Up here, Jake!"

His heavy footsteps neared my bedroom, and as he appeared by the doorway, I rushed up and ran to him, pulled him back to the bed with me, and as we tumbled all over the purple sheets, my fingers were clumsily fidgety at unbuttoning his shirt.

"Woah, woah, woah, hold up a minute. Babe?"

"Hmmm?"

"What are you doing?" he asked, as if he didn't understand what I intended to do.

"I-Isn't it ob-obvious?" I stammered like such an awkward high school girl.

"Well, from what it seems, you're trying to get us both naked," Jacob replied, his eyebrows drawn together, seemingly really confused.

Blushing like mad, I grabbed a pillow and hid under there. A few minutes passed in awkward silence. But then, he started laughing, which just embarrassed me further.

"Ness?"

He slightly pulled the corner of the pillow up to peek under it.

"Come out of there, babe."

Though reluctant, I did as he asked of me. As we both sat up straight on my bed, I could still feel my cheeks warming from the awful dreaded feeling that was now consuming my gut. My boyfriend laughingly smiled at me, then lifted his hand up to my cheek. With his thumb stroking lightly across my skin, a smile reached my lips. Every single touch of his was so comforting.

"I'm in no hurry, you know that," he then told me.

"I know…" I drifted off, my head hanging low.

"Hey, look at me, beautiful," he said, tipping up my chin with his finger to level my eyes with his.

"There's no need to rush this, okay? I love you, and I want to do this the right way, all right?"

His words immediately lifted my down spirited mood and with a sudden impulsiveness, I attacked my poor boyfriend with a hug and a quick peck on his lips, making us fall back against the bed. We were both laughing at my thoughtless abruptness.

"You're such a klutz, Ness. And that's one thing I love about you," he whispered against my ear, keeping me in his embrace as we both stayed lying in my bed.


	14. Dancing Under a Moonlit Sky: Carlesme

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 14  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle/Esme  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 454

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Dancing Under a Moonlit Sky**

Stacks of old records everywhere.

What a mess.

I stumbled upon this collection during my monthly cleanup of Carlisle's office. I didn't know my husband was also collecting so much music like my son Edward. These were hidden in the back of his wooden cabinet standing off in one corner. I wondered how I could've missed them. Picking out a random record, I walked over to the phonograph and let the music play.

Slow and mellow blues. The music drifted off across the room, spreading an infectious sensation of relaxation. I forgot all about the need to clean, and the duster in my hand was left ignored on my husband's desk as I hummed and tapped my feet against the floor, in time to the soft rhythm, my fingers drumming along against the sides of the record player.

There was a whirlwind upbeat to the song, which led me to push myself off where I stood, and as it faded back into a slow tune, my body twirled around, and I was dancing all by myself, my hands in standard formation, like I had an imaginary dance partner leading me.

Lost in the music, I whirled and turned, and then, as silent as the night, as swift as a gentle breeze, my husband's solid form took the place of my imaginary dance partner.

"That was a very lovely sight, to see my wife dance so graceful even without a partner," Carlisle commented, his golden eyes lovingly smiling down at me.

"Carlisle…"

With a light kiss upon my neck, and the permission for this dance, he then led me across countries, to different centuries, different times, to the past and the present and even the future. In this one dance, he brought me to heaven and back to earth as the last melody gave way to here and now.

Gazing up at my lover, I was taken aback by such beauty. He could dance with such grace, even mimic my every move and make it better. Oh, how wonderful he was, and how magnificent, with the way the rays of the moon splayed across his features as we ended our dance right beside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

It was beautiful. And so was he.

"You're beautiful, Esme."

His words were so gracious, I didn't deserve them. Shining under the moonlit sky, he was ethereal. He was my god. And I could serve him for the rest of my entire life.

"I love you."

Those three words brought me back, snapping me out of my adulation for this man standing so godlike in front of me.

"I love you too, Carlisle…"

He was pure heaven. Especially when his lips touched down on mine. It was heavenly bliss.


	15. Hot Chocolate: EmmettRenesmee

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
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Prompt: # 15  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Emmett/Renesmee  
Rating: T due to the F-word  
Word Count: 457

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Hot Chocolate**

Inhaling, I got a whiff of the sweet, saccharine, sugary and sinful dessert that so many humans loved, which I so loved before, too, but now, was just an irritating stench to my vampire smelling abilities and something that would just leave a rotten taste in my mouth, were I to feed on it.

Finding the source almost immediately, I found out it was a mug of hot chocolate that gave me this unpleasant feeling in my nostrils. All I wanted to do was smash it against the fucking forest floor to get rid of the awful scent. Really, everything close to human food, even a fucking marshmallow had a certain smell that with my enhanced senses was very, very annoying.

The first time Bella came to our house and Esme had insisted on cooking Italiano for her, I could barely hold in my guts as I had to help out chopping meat. The vegetables were fine; they were mere plants in their most basic form. But the meat, man, with what they go through before they get to the meat section, it was already almost edible for humans. Now if it were still attached to the rest of the animal, that would've been a different story, and very, very tasty to me.

Just thinking of the mouthwatering taste of blood between fresh, raw meat, I felt thirsty. But still, the darn smell of that hot chocolate bothered me way too much. What in god's name was it just doing there, anyway, sitting on the table, still hot, a visible strand of humid steam wafting to the air?

As I was about to reach for it, my niece, Renesmee, hopped up onto a chair and looked up at me.

"Is it cold yet, Uncle Emmett?" she asked me, her brown eyes gleaming with excitement.

Oh shit. It was hers, of course it was hers.

"Hey, little one. No, it ain't cold yet. You see the little steam risin' from the mug? Clear sign it ain't ready yet to be drank by you."

A little frown presented on her pouty lips, yet despite that, the adorable charm of her face made me smile.

"What do you say we go bother your Uncle Jasper while we wait for it to cool down?" I then suggested.

At that, the little lady hopped off the chair and ran to where I stood, eagerly tugged on my hand and pulled me out to where Jasper was lounging about.

Oh, I loved her willingness to be mischievous. She must have gotten that from me, no matter if we weren't related by blood.

Oh, how I loved her. What a lucky man I am to become an uncle to such a playful, naughty niece.


	16. Australia: CarlisleRenesmee

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 16  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle/Renesmee  
Rating: K  
Word Count: 498

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Australia**

"Show me where you'll be off to today!"

Ever since Renesmee uttered her first words, which were already stringed in one complete sentence, she's been such a curious young lady. Whenever she'd hear I'd be having a conference somewhere, she'd immediately call me to her room, insisting that I show her where my destination was on her map.

And so now, she was seated on her bed, a world map spread out in front of her, taking up a large chunk of space on the purple bed sheets. Seating myself close to the end of her bed where the map hasn't invaded, I watched my little granddaughter bite her nail, looking for Australia. This year's two-week conference was somewhere quite far.

As soon as she spotted it on the map, she exclaimed, "But Grandpa! It's on the other side of the world!"

There was a little frown on her lips, and her brows were knit tight together.

"You're going to be so far away from me this time," she said with a pout, and if she were standing, I'd have imagined her to have stomped her feet in anger.

She was such an adorable little creature.

"I'll be back in no time, love," I told her, but she still didn't lose the displeasure on her face.

"I wanna come with you!"

"Oh, Renesmee, you can't. I'll be too busy since I'll be in meetings all day long and your mother will surely not grant it."

At that, she sighed in defeat. Oh, how sweet of her to want to come with me. I've grown quite attached to her as well, and leaving for the next two weeks was hard on me, especially since I'll be missing her growth development, which was rapidly ongoing.

A thought then came to mind.

"Besides, I need you here to keep your grandma Esme company. For me. So she won't be lonely, you see? I'll miss her very much and it's always hard for me to leave her whenever I have these meetings. So you need to be here for her, for me. Will you do that for me, Nessie?"

As I used her nickname, she looked up at me, gave me such a huge smile, hurriedly threw the map to the side and stood up on her bed. With her standing, she was a little taller than me in my seated position. Her arms then wound around my neck.

"I'll miss you, Grandpa," she whispered and I could hear the start of her sniffling.

"I'll miss you too, my precious one," I told her as I wrapped my arms around her small body.

And to make up for the dissatisfaction she felt at me being so far, I made her a little promise.

"When I get back, we'll have a day out, just you and me, how about it?"

With her screaming down the hallway to announce it to the rest of the family, I was certain it was an excellent compromise.


	17. Memory Lane: Esme

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 17  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Esme  
Rating: K+  
Word Count: 428

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Memory Lane**

I don't know how I got here. All I remembered was that Alice drove us ladies to this roller rink for Renesmee to experience using roller skates.

As I watched the people roll around the rink, I was thrown back into the early 1920's, a little after my transformation when I watched a girl from afar, skating out in the open with both her parents on each of her side, guiding her, slowly teaching her as they skated along with her. I was watching them from behind a tree in the park, and even though I was still having trouble controlling my thirst back then, I was able to stay put and just observe them happily spending time together.

The thoughts that were going through my head that very moment was of my son who died. The event was still very recent and the memory still freshly burned into my mind. I imagined him growing up into a fine gentleman, and during his childhood years, I would've urged him to try on those roller skates too to have some fun while he's out with his friends.

No matter how long it's been, I still missed him to this very day, and I still loved him with every dead fiber within me.

"You're not going to try, Esme?"

Standing to my right was my daughter Rosalie.

"Oh, no, it's not exactly my type of fun," I told her with a smile, waving my hand dismissively. "Why aren't you out there with Renesmee, Bella and Alice?"

"You really think I'm the kind of woman who'd try that?" she laughingly asked in return.

I couldn't help but chuckle. Ah, my elegant daughter would never try something so… what to call it–unladylike, perhaps? I wasn't sure.

"Can you believe that this invention already existed during our time?" I asked her.

"Yes, I can. Though it's hard to believe it actually survived even if the Disco Era is long over."

Oh, she was right about that. It became so popular back in the 70's.

It was amusing, but I most times still felt intimidated by myself, knowing I've been around for so long now. I've seen so many different generations, lived for more than a century, and gained so much knowledge throughout my vampire years.

All of a sudden, I laughed. For it was amazing and ridiculous at the same time that just by seeing roller skates, I suddenly leapt from the 1920's to the 1970's to now. As a vampire, years truly felt like a mere unneeded blink of our eyes.


	18. Autumn: BenjaminTia

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 18  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Benjamin/Tia  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 479

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Autumn**

It was chaotic outside.

A beautiful disaster.

The colorful fallen leaves that were scattered on the forest floor were now whirling around in the air, and it was all due to my mate's power. The little child jumping up in the air, disturbing the whirlwind the leaves created was none other than the vampire-human hybrid, Renesmee. She really was something else. And she was now hopping towards where I stood on the veranda of the Cullens' home.

"Yes?" I spoke up, for she said nothing while she stared up at me, smiling.

She was quite adorable. Picking her up, I carried her over to my mate who was still making the leaves fly in all four directions. Her hand then caressed my cheek, the warmth of her palm such an awkward contrast to my cold skin.

Images of her, me and my mate flashed through my mind. So that's what she wanted to happen. She wanted me to join in the fun.

Though it wasn't in my nature to be jumping or running around, for I wasn't as much of an outgoing person as my mate, I knelt down on the forest floor, carefully putting the girl back down on her feet.

Though I didn't have the power to influence the elements like my mate does, I could make my own chaos. Taking a handful of leaves, I then threw them over my head, the leaves cascading creating a colorful rainfall. The hybrid resumed bouncing around and as I watched her, it looked like she was a graceful ballerina, dancing and floating with pouring leaves in colors of brown, yellow and red as her gentle backdrop.

Hands were on mine and as I looked up, I found my mate's crimson eyes staring into my own. His hands cupped my cheeks, and the sudden intimate gesture of his lips on mine thoroughly surprised me. From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the little girl stopping her dance, then I heard her cute little giggle before she ran to her parents who I knew were now standing by the veranda, from the scent that I caught.

Time seemed to stand still at the very moment I closed my eyes, relishing in my lover's kiss, the downpour of leaves around us recreating this space as entirely ours for the single minute of our public intimacy.

Never had Benjamin kissed me in front of others.

But after surviving the confrontation with the Volturi a few months, this scene might just be him feeling a sense of relief that we all came out of it unscathed. Feeling blessed as well, my hands reached up to him, my arms winding around his neck, pulling him in closer, silently thankful that we were both still alive.

I would be nothing without my Benjamin. He, after all, made me who I am today.


	19. Past Life: EmmettRosalie

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 19  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Emmett/Rosalie  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 483

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Past Life**

It was that time of month yet again. Lately, my wife's been disappearing off to somewhere at exactly twelve midnight, and I followed her when she went out last month.

Like a floating ghost, I found her wandering around in the nearest graveyard, touching headstones, her fingers grazing over the engraved letterings which she'd read aloud, her voice the only life among the dead.

Today, she did the same. Why she was doing this, I had no clue.

_"Cara Miller, beloved wife, caring mother, the best cook out there."_

My wife's light laughter rang through the graveyard, and I was almost expecting all dead spirits to arise from their tombstones, for her laughter was filled with so much life, it brightened my soul every single time.

_"Jack Stein, awesome dad, hardworking mechanic, Kentucky Fried Chicken hugger."_

She laughed once again, and I too, couldn't hold in my laughter, but I tried my best to shush myself. I kept my distance, not wanting to disturb my wife's time alone. The shadowy figure of her form moved to the next grave, a small squared tombstone with the cross symbol attached on top.

_"Mira Faith Smith, our beloved baby girl who was chosen to be at God's heavenly side at the age of two…"_

At that, my wife's voice trailed off, and as I heard the first bouts of her sobs, I rushed to her side, taking her in my arms, where she continued weeping those tears that would never appear.

"Why do you do this to yourself, Rose?"

"Because it lets me reconnect and never forgets to remind me that I shouldn't take immortality for granted," she answered, her hands gripping the front of my shirt so tight.

I then realized that this was her way of recapturing the life she no longer had, the fragile life she had as a human and the abilities a human woman could do that was no longer possible in her vampire state.

She lived vicariously through these people who died; these people who had the life she still wanted so badly.

Though she was hurting more than I was, the same hopeless feeling of not being able to give her her human life back was stuck with me, the knowledge that she'd never really be happy in this second chance at life was like a stab of a wooden cross against my chest.

Holding her close, I promised to myself over and over again that I'd make her happy no matter if it didn't come close to her having her human life back.

This was my wife, still so broken after all these frozen years.

I would never abandon her, and I would never give up on the futile attempt of finding her even the littlest bit of life that she could hold and carry in her own two arms, a miracle that we could call our own.


	20. Scary Story: EmRoseNessBella

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
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Prompt: # 20  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Emmett/Renesmee/Rosalie/Bella  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 498

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Scary Story**

"And out of nowhere, _BADAM!_"

The little girl listening to her Uncle Emmett gasped at the sudden boom of his voice, her arms tightening around her Auntie Rosalie's neck, her head momentarily hiding behind the golden waves of Rosalie's hair.

"All the doors were creaking open, and a sudden gush of wind went past–_WHOOSH!_ Then there he stood, the vampire killer, with his bloody scythe at hand, his ferocious growl, _ROAR, _even more badass than the howl of a wolf, echoing throughout the room, and in his other hand, the head of the vampire he just beheaded with one slice of his weapon!"

_Click!_

The dark room brightened and the story was interrupted as Bella pulled back the blanket that was resting on top of the heads of the three people underneath it. Emmett turned the flashlight off that he had in his hand, and Renesmee sprang up into her mother's arms.

"Mom! Uncle Emmett told me another episode of Vampire Slayer Vincent! He's about to kill another vampire maiden!"

At that, a condescending yet amusing smile was directed at Renesmee's uncle.

"Aren't your stories a little too graphic for bedtime, Emmett?" Bella asked, an eyebrow raised at him.

"No, not at all, Bella, it's a perfectly healthy dose of scare, I promise," Emmett counteracted, trying to hide his nervous laugh.

"He's not going to kill me though, is he, Uncle Emmett?" the little girl in Bella's arms asked, reaching for the man seated on the bed.

As she slid away from her mother's arms and slipped into her uncle's embrace, Emmett answered, "Of course he won't. I'm here to protect you, right?"

"Right!" Renesmee agreed, gifting Emmett the sight of such an endearing smile that brought about his own.

"I love you, Uncle Emmett!"

"I love you too, little one."

Renesmee then crawled onto Rosalie's lap and said, "And I love Auntie Rosalie too, for keeping me company when the story gets too scary!"

Rosalie stroked the little girl's hair before saying in response, "I love you too, baby girl. Now it's off to bed."

The little vampire-human hybrid then hopped away and as she reached the doorway with her mother, she turned around and happily exclaimed, "Good night everyone!"

She was such an energetic little angel.

It was silent in the room for a few minutes as both aunt and uncle listened to their niece's footsteps until they slowly quieted.

Turning to face her husband, Rosalie then commented, "You are so great with her, Emmett. I wish we could have our own."

Not knowing what to say, Emmett took his wife's hand in his, and with his other, caressed her cheek as she sighed in desolation.

_"She belongs to all of us."_

Looking up to find the source of the voice, the woman standing by the doorway then added, "I may have given birth to her, but she's also your daughter, Rose."

The despair on Rosalie's face quickly turned into a smile.

"Thank you, Bella."


	21. Ready to Dip In: JasperRenesmee

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 21  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Jasper/Renesmee  
Rating: K+  
Word Count: 496

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Ready to Dip In**

"I'm scared, Uncle Jasper," Renesmee admitted, her feet teetering on the edge of the swimming pool.

As Jasper watched his niece fidget with her hands, clearly deliberating whether or not to jump into the water, he smiled at the sight of the frightened little girl in her bright yellow one-piece swimsuit, picked out exclusively by his wife.

Not wanting to use his powers of emotive persuasion for the little Cullen to get over her fears by herself, he held out by his hands and said, "I'm right here, Renesmee. I'll catch you; you know that, right, princess?"

Relaxing a little, Renesmee nodded, slightly convinced by her uncle's comforting words. She knew he would never let anything happen to her. He was always there to save her, whenever she was scared; it was always his words she pulled her courage from. Not even her father or mother could instill so much bravery in a little girl.

No one knew what kind of influence Jasper had on the youngest Cullen. And though he could so easily manipulate emotions, he never, not even once since her birth, used it on his niece. Maybe it was due to his past, in which he was a soldier, which convinced Renesmee that her Uncle Jasper would always be her protector.

Even after hearing everyone's stories of their past lives a hundred times during storytelling before she went to bed, there was one story Renesmee always asked to be retold by whoever was in charge of storytelling that night: The brave quests of Major Jasper Whitlock.

In a dream she once had, her Uncle Jasper was in a soldier's uniform while she was in a princess' gown, locked up in a tower which was guarded by a fire-breathing dragon. Scared, the Princess Renesmee would wait patiently until she's saved by her valiant hero. Ever since that dream, which she hurriedly told her uncle the next morning, Jasper started calling her 'Princess' and since then, only Jasper could persuade the little girl that she had nothing be afraid of in the whole wide world for he would always be around to protect her, guarding her even if they were miles apart. It was a promise he made every single morning she'd wake from a nightmare.

And so, swallowing her fear of drowning, the little Cullen princess took two steps back, ran two steps forward and took a leap, jumping into the water, the big splash completely soaking the blonde male inside the pool.

Struggling to stay afloat, Renesmee's hands wailed around until she was wrapped in her uncle's arms, his hands on top of her head, his laughter ringing in her ears, making the little girl blush. She was in her hero's embrace, safe and sound.

From the doorway, Alice looked out to see her husband holding their little niece in his arms, which immediately brought a smile to her face and one thought to cross her mind.

_'He would've been a great father.'_


	22. Gleaming Sunrise: CarlisleEsme

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 22  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle/Esme  
Rating: M  
Word Count: 497

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Gleaming Sunrise**

Gold rays successfully entered our room, shining through our white curtains, but barely reaching the side of our bed.

Sunrise. How I hated it.

For it was the signal that it was time for my husband to stand up from our bed, shower and leave me here for about fourteen hours before coming back home to me. Silently watching my husband, I knew he was awake though his eyelids were shut. After all, we didn't really have the need to sleep, and even if we wanted to, we wouldn't fall asleep. We simply couldn't.

Last night was such a surprise. He came home straight from work, and as he found me in our chamber, he simply let his briefcase fall to the floor, shrugged off his doctor's coat, swept me off my feet and dropped me onto our bed, then proceeded to–ever so slowly–tantalize me with the lightest strokes of his fingers upon my cheek, down my neck, until his fingers effortlessly clipped open the buttons of my blouse.

My skirt was pulled from my body, his shirt came undone, his slacks unfastened. Confused at the impulsive sexual hunger my husband attacked me with, I looked up at him, took his face in my hands, trying to find the reason as to why the sudden arousal.

I wasn't insulted at all by his brash actions; it just made me a little worried, for Carlisle was never one to make hurried advances when it came to sex. Leaning down to me, his lips touched mine in the sweetest, most tender way and all thoughts of 'why' went out the window.

Entering into me, a slight gasp escaped my lips, the wonderful sensation of my husband fitting so perfectly inside me such a wondrous delight. His thrusts so powerful, yet so careful at the same time, brought me to my high, reaching heaven, until I collapsed back down to earth, only to have him bring me even higher than the heavens for my second time.

Last night was absolutely divine.

But now, he had to leave.

"Carlisle, the sun's up…"

Groaning, my husband's lips murmured protests against my neck, his hand grazing along my thigh to find its way up my body, finally settling on the mound of my breast.

"I don't wanna go to work, love…"

The reaction of my body to his touch was almost instantaneous.

"And it seems like you don't want me to go, either…"

There was a satisfied, smug smirk in his words, and as his hand left my breast, travelling south, cupping my very center, I was left too stunned to speak.

Fingers teasing, a moan echoing, his member awakening, my core eagerly waiting.

"We need to have a repeat of last night, especially now that the sun's up, for I promised my wife I'd make love to her every night and every day…" my husband whispered, slowly dipping his fingers into my soaking entrance.

Sunrise. Oh how I loved it.


	23. Rising with the Sun: BellaRenesmee

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 23  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Bella/Renesmee  
Rating: K+  
Word Count: 497

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Rising with the Sun**

Her daughter wasn't in bed. She must've woken up, despite it only being four in the morning and the fact that she went to bed at ten last night. It seemed like Renesmee needed less and less sleep, now that she was nearly done in completing her seven-year growth. Looking everywhere for her little girl, who might not be so little anymore at four-feet-seven, Bella sighed.

_Where could she be?_

Birds chirping outside, Bella looked to her right, the open window leading out onto the roof a sign that somebody must've been out there late last night, or…

Figuring that it might've been her daughter, Bella jumped onto the windowsill then crawled out from under the window. Without a doubt, it was Renesmee who was seated a few feet from her, her back turned to the window, her head facing east.

Hearing someone behind her, the young teenager inhaled, noting from the familiar scent that her mother was now up on the roof with her.

"Morning, mom," she acknowledged her mother's presence.

"What are you doing up here, sweetheart?" Bella asked, sitting down next to her daughter.

"Just trying to experience rising with the sun," Renesmee answered, shrugging her shoulders in a nonchalant manner.

"Is something bothering you, sweetie?"

"Not really. I was just wondering what it would've been like to have a normal childhood."

Hearing those words thoroughly surprised Bella.

"Renesmee, you are a special girl. You may be different, but it doesn't make you a freak," the mother tried explaining, not wanting her baby girl to feel left out from humans.

She was mistaken though, that wasn't what was worrying the vampire-human hybrid.

"I'm not worried about what other people might think of my growth, mom. I'm just a little curious as to whether I'll be able to experience everything a normal child does."

Smiling with relief, Bella took her daughter's hands in hers and told her little girl, "You have all the time in the world, my darling. Look at your Uncle Emmett, so grown up, yet still so childish. I'll make sure that you'll experience everything a normal human child does. And if I don't, I'm sure your Uncle Emmett will make sure that I do."

The ringing laughter of mother and daughter caught the attention of the man who at that very moment was passing by the window.

"What are my two favorite ladies doing out here?"

Facing around to find Edward peeking out the window, Renesmee called out to him, "Come join us, Daddy! Let's rise with the sun!"

In one swift movement, Edward was out on the roof with his family, and as the first rays of sunlight dawned upon the trio, Renesmee watched with amazement at her parents' glittering skin. Bound to them through interlocking hands, she was more than happy to know that though her parents were different, they would take care of her just like any normal family would.

And that–was more than enough for her.


	24. Truth In One's Reflection: CarlisleEsme

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 24  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle/Esme  
Rating: K+  
Word Count: 461

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Truth in One's Reflection**

I stared unbelievingly at my reflection in the water. Was that really me? Gray-haired, wrinkled face, slight hunch on my back–could it really be? Was I just dreaming this entire time that I was a vampire, bitten and turned by a man who was a doctor who was born in the sixteenth century?

Staring really hard at the floating image, it didn't change. Was this real?

"Love?"

I was almost scared to turn around, for I wouldn't be able to bear the disappointment if what I was seeing was merely my imagination.

"Esme, love?"

Still not daring to face the voice of my husband, I asked him, "Carlisle, how old are we?"

His light chuckle enlightened my heart a little. My heart! I could feel it beating!

"Love, you just turned eighty, and I'm eighty-seven, but we're both still young," he answered, still laughing.

Reaching up to feel the old skin of my face, I continued to observe myself in my reflection. Everything I was doing, the old woman in the water was doing too.

"Grandma!"

At that one word, I spun around to see a little girl with bronze hair and chocolate brown eyes running towards me, and with her parents following behind, and my other children, I knew, at that very moment, that I wasn't dreaming.

I was old.

My beloved husband came to my side, gave a light peck against my cheek, and as I looked up at him, I was certain that I really wasn't imagining things. He, too, had gray hair and he was even wearing glasses for his sight. He was still as beautiful as I remembered though.

As my granddaughter Renesmee hugged me around my waist, I couldn't keep in the extreme happiness I was feeling. And so, with a laugh and with the strength I didn't know I still had, I lifted her up and twirled around, the little girl's laughter and joy echoing out towards the sea.

By the time I set her feet back down on the warm sand of the shore, my three children, Jasper, Rosalie, and Edward were all smiling at me, and so were their partners, my children-in-law, Alice, Emmett and Bella.

Oh, what a wonderful feeling.

And oh my! More children came towards me, a bit behind for they were tagging along with them several toys to make sandcastles. I had more than one grandchild!

This was such a revelation! A pleasant surprise. Such an amazing gift.

"We have such a wonderful family, Carlisle," I told my husband who took my hand in his.

"And you've been such a wonderful mother and grandmother, my love," he told me, giving my hand a kiss.

This was such a beautiful family. And I was a part of it.


	25. Home: CarlisleEsme

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 25  
Pen Name: Mikarin Aoi  
Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle/Esme  
Rating: K+  
Word Count: 499

Photo prompts can be found here:  
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

**Home**

Being a doctor had both its perks and drawbacks. The main one was having to choose between my family and my patients. I was just called for an emergency surgery in Germany of a patient who was under my care when he was still residing here in the States.

My wife and I had just recently welcomed our daughter six months ago into the world, and the thought of having to leave killed me.

"Go, darling. He needs you. You know he doesn't trust any other doctor, which makes me so proud of you. Only you can help him, Carlisle, so go. Don't worry about us, we'll be fine," my wife told me the morning I stood at our doorstep, hesitant to turn around and leave.

"I don't know how long I'll be gone for, love," I sighed, already feeling lost at the thought of not being with my wife and our newborn baby girl.

"I know, Carlisle. But I also know for certain that you'll be home soon," my wife countered, and her words, like they always did, gave me the strength that I needed.

She's always been my rock, the one who supported me through every ups and downs I had experienced as a doctor, especially whenever I had to cope with the deaths of my patients. With so much that she's given me, I always felt like I never gave back enough.

Leaning down, I planted one last kiss on her lips, and as I settled there, I never wanted to leave. Dropping lower to the bundle of joy in her arms, I gave our little Rosalie a kiss against her puffy cheek, and whispered, "Daddy'll be home soon, I promise, my beautiful princess."

My wife smiled up at me one last time, and each step that I took away from them tore at my aching heart. Times like these, I've hated my job.

Six entire months, I was gone. By now, my patient has fully recovered from his risky surgery and had just started off with his physical therapy. Though I wanted to stick around to make sure he'd be fine, he insisted that I go back home.

"Go home, Dr. Cullen. You've done everything for me here; now go to your family. You've been gone long enough. I'm sorry I had to drag you all the way out here. Now go."

With his words, I immediately left and now, as I drove up to our house, I sighed in the utmost relief I've felt in the past months since I've gone.

The sight of my daughter walking up to me on wobbly legs was a scene I felt so blessed with to witness, the tears in my eyes falling as I lifted her up in my arms, holding her close to me, never wanting to ever part from her again.

My wife came up to my side, and as I leaned down to kiss her, it almost felt like I never left.

"I'm home…"


End file.
